Classic GM Trucks - Would you drive one daily?

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

I have spend a couple years inside this rabbit hole!!!

I am super fixated on chassis swaps!!

Ryan W31

[lbnaz]

I just took mine out for its monthly drive. It is a 76 that I bought used in 1977. I wore out 2 350 motors. I took a 454 out of a 77 Suburban bored it .020 and put it all under the hood so it looks bone stock. It has 373 posi front and rear, T350 , and a 203 transfer case. The ac blows cold still on R12. Larry

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

Originally Posted by 69PostSSChevelle

You can never go wrong with a Squarebody.

I'm working on a '98 Sierra Shortbox OBS

Let’s see it!!

Ryan W31

[SupremeDeluxe]

Originally Posted by NorCam

Yup...I saw that little truck when Tim had it and immediate realized how clean it was. I actually had an 80 shortbox back in 92-93 that I drove summer and winter in those years.

A funny story of that one, we were hanging out in a friends bodyshop on a Friday night (drinking heavily I might add) when I said to my buddy Ken (shop owner and painter), we should paint my truck one of these days and two tone the sides. He asked me what color, and I said change it from solid maroon to a red with black cove. He disappeared for a bit then came back and said for me to pull my truck into the shop so he could look it over.

I obliged, then he pulled out a few quarts of paint he had just mixed up in the back. Next words from Ken were "lets get on it". I said now, he answered right now. I mean, we were all shit faced and it was about midnight when this all went down. So vision this...there were 5-6 of us barely able to walk straight (2 of those being 30 year body men and 1 being a painter). We all started stripping the trim, sanded down the surfaces, masked it up and spot putty'd the hell out of any imperfections. I asked Ken's bodyman if he could spray when he was sauced, and he said...that's when he works the best.

Needless to say, the drinking countinued all night until the truck was sprayed out. By the time it was finished up with a couple coats of clear, a few of us had passed out around the shop (myself included). Ken stayed up, finished the paint while most of us snored away. A few hours later I stumbled to my feet to see a nicely painted black and red finish on my little 80' short box sitting outside the booth. In the days that followed, I picked up some new moldings for it, and was proud to have a Friday night paint job with a story I would remember for life.

Now, time to mix another coffee here as TFX is rolling up here early this morning to drop off this K20. I can hardly wait to see this one and jump inside.

This is a true, old-school car guy story. I love it.

[SupremeDeluxe]

Tim's pictures under-sell his cleanup and detail work--

[olredalert]

----I do love square bodies, but I'm partial to the 1988 on up series as I spent so much time building 3/4 dually Suburban's. I built one 93 right off the delivery and it gained so much attention that I ended up building anther 18. I remember those days in my shop on Cape Cod fondly as every day was fun. I still have a 93 3/4 now, but the dually part was sort of worn out. A lot of you have seen it at MCACN because it's been beside my swap space for a couple of years. Other than trips to MCACN I mostly only use it to haul boats to the launch ramp. I do baby it as I have no use for all the newer stuff....Bill S

[x33rs]

My wife and I both daily drove our 72 4x4 blazer and our 79 1 ton 454 pickup for many many years. I had the 79 for about 20 years and it did double duty as also being the tow vehicle when needed. I did an LS/4L60E swap in the blazer back before LS swaps became the norm and that ended up being the family vehicle for several years after.

The problem was the pickup only seating 3 people and everyone got tired of climbing in and out of the blazer from one side of the vehicle.

They both got sold but we are still adamant about driving old cars, we just have no interest in new cars. So now I drive the 70 Formula and my wife loves driving the 69Z, which became the favorite for using most of the time.

Back around that time when we made the switch I needed another tow vehicle so bought a new 05 duramax. No interest in daily driving that, it sits in the garage for months at a time, lol.

So if an old truck fits your needs I say go for it. They made great dailys for us. My wife especially liked the blazer because it was relatively small (compared to a pickup) and would make tight turns and easy to park.

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

https://youtu.be/rocjPxBKSRQ?si=Jes7YX9Of32VTa_M

These guys sell the most complete swap I have seen on the market.

Ryan W31

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

Old vs New

[napa68]

Originally Posted by Ryan1969Chevelle

https://youtu.be/rocjPxBKSRQ?si=Jes7YX9Of32VTa_M

These guys sell the most complete swap I have seen on the market.

Ryan W31

Having done business with these guys, their product is really ironed out. Of course it comes at a price.

I have an original paint 71 F250 from California on deck that is slated to get one of their RS4 chassis'. You could say a modern highboy with a 7.3 Godzilla and a 10 speed auto. Be a good ride for getting mulch and beer.